While there are several larger social networks out there, LinkedIn is the largest professional social network in existence. With hundreds of millions of users connecting from all across the world, LinkedIn offers businesses the ability to find new employees and vendors, and offers individuals the opportunity to network with one another for valuable connections and skills. In recent years, LinkedIn has added more features that make it more closely resemble other social networks. This has given the network new life and has dramatically enhanced its marketing potential. If you want to gain clout in your niche or industry, then LinkedIn can be a great place to start. We’ll discuss some tricks that you can use to bolster your presence on the network and be more successful.

Find and Encourage Advocates

If you already have a LinkedIn presence, then you probably understand the importance that word of mouth can play on the network. While in many cases it isn’t directly in this format, endorsements and recommendations are features of the site that correlate with this broader concept. Advocates, however, can be individuals who spread the good news about your products, services or skills, and are invaluable for building an increasing marketing presence on the network. If you promote yourself with no assistance, then you are just pinging noise: who doesn’t think well of themselves? By finding and encouraging advocates to speak on your behalf, your true potential can be marketed (and people love to scratch each others’ backs on LinkedIn, so ask around).

Use Paid Promotion

LinkedIn now offers advertising, which makes it easier than ever before to get your message in front of hundreds and thousands of potential parties. Whether you want to have your resume reviewed by Fortune 500 companies or attract business to business sales, this is a great opportunity and an ideal form of marketing for the network. You can target users specifically based on location, industry, title or company. Whenever you create advertisements on the network, always be sure to test variations to see which ones perform the best. In addition to this, be sure to use strong wording and make offers to viewers that are irresistible. Thanks to paid promotion, it has never been more cost-effective to promote your talents and advantages through LinkedIn.

Utilize the Analytics

LinkedIn now has added analytics technologies into its platform, which allows users and companies to determine how best to promote their content and leverage their relationships. In addition to these features, users will also be able to see which areas of LinkedIn are most worth their time, so that they are not pinging noise to uninterested audiences, as well as monitor any relevant industries in which competition for employees, businesses or in advertising is currently too steep or too lax. These tools are available for free and can be a life saver for those who are seeking to get the most efficiency out of their time on the social network. Marketing is all about cost-effective solutions, so analytics for time management and efficiency make sense in a B2B-related market environment.